2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election explained

Election Name:2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:Position established
Previous Year:2018
Election Date:5 May 2022
Next Election:2024 South Yorkshire mayoral election
Next Year:2024
Turnout:26.4% 0.5%
1Blank:First Round
2Blank:Percentage
3Blank:Swing
4Blank:Second Round
5Blank:Percentage
6Blank:Swing
Image1:Oliver Coppard, at Resolution Foundation, 2023.png
Candidate1:Oliver Coppard
Party1:Labour and Co-operative
1Data1:112,517
2Data1:43.1%
3Data1:4.9pp
4Data1:143,476
5Data1:71.4%
6Data1:2.6pp
Candidate2:Clive Watkinson
Party2:Conservative Party (UK)
1Data2:43,129
2Data2:16.5%
3Data2:1.8pp
4Data2:57,347
5Data2:28.6%
6Data2:2.6pp
Candidate3:Simon Biltcliffe
Party3:Yorkshire Party
1Data3:34,857
2Data3:13.4%
3Data3:4.6pp
4Data3:Eliminated
5Data3:Eliminated
6Data3:Eliminated
Candidate4:Bex Whyman
Party4:Green Party of England and Wales
1Data4:32,322
2Data4:12.4%
3Data4:4.4pp
4Data4:Eliminated
5Data4:Eliminated
6Data4:Eliminated
Candidate5:Joe Otten
Party5:Liberal Democrats (UK)
1Data5:28,093
2Data5:10.8%
3Data5:0.1pp
4Data5:Eliminated
5Data5:Eliminated
6Data5:Eliminated
Map Size:400px

The 2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect the Mayor of South Yorkshire, the leader of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. It took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. The Labour and Co-operative Party candidate, Oliver Coppard, won the election in the second round with 71.4% of the vote.

Background

In 2018, The South Yorkshire metro mayor position- then known as the Sheffield City Region- had its inaugural election. At the time of its creation, the metro mayor's role was an effectively powerless position, with no salary. It was named this originally because its boundaries went beyond the four boroughs of South Yorkshire and included some parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. However, these areas did not become constituent parts. Its lack of power was because the borough councils of Doncaster and Barnsley opposed the creation of the mayoralty and the combined authority (then Sheffield City Region Combined Authority). They instead favoured a 'One Yorkshire' devolution deal, which would have a Mayor for all of Yorkshire in 2020.[1] Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central won this role with at second preferences. He has remained as a Member of Parliament during this term.[2]

In late-2019, Jarvis secured a deal between the four boroughs, the combined authority and the British government.[3] In 2020, the role was provided with a salary and statutory powers,[4] this was fully implemented by 2021.[5] These powers include: transport, strategic planning, coordinating investment and skills as well as £30 million annual funding for 30 years.[1] [3] Jarvis reportedly does not take the salary and donates it.[4] [6]

Think Tank IPPR has reported that the mayor, much like other metro mayors in the North of England have utilised power beyond the remit given by the government. In South Yorkshire, for instance, the country's first 'ownership hub' was built to help businesses become worker owned or co-operatives.[7] Controversy arose in June 2021 when Jarvis' administration voted to continue a privatised bus service in South Yorkshire, despite previous pledges to bring it into public control.[8]

In February 2024 it was announced by Westminster that the role of Police and Crime Commissioner would be moved to that of the Mayor of South Yorkshire, the addition of these powers mean it is considered a 'new role' therefore needs to be voted on again effectively halving the term of current Mayor Oliver Coppard.

The election was held alongside other local elections on 2 May 2024, with the new term running until 2028 [9]

Electoral system

South Yorkshire, along with other elected mayoralties in England, will use the supplementary vote system, in which voters express a first and second preference of candidates.[10]

This means that the winning candidate has the support of a majority of voters who expressed a preference among the top two.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in the combined authority area aged 18 or over on 5 May 2022 are entitled to vote in the mayoral election.

Speculation has circulated that the government may remove the supplementary vote system which mayoralties use and replace it with first-past-the-post- in line with general elections.[11]

Candidates

Oliver Coppard was selected as the Labour and Co-operative Party candidate for the election.[12] Dan Jarvis confirmed in September 2021 that he will not stand for a second term in the mayoralty in 2022.[13] Seven candidates applied for selection, which was narrowed down to a setlist of four candidates: Rachael Blake, Lewis Dagnall, Oliver Coppard and Jayne Dunn.[14] The voting period for Labour members took place in January 2022.[15] On 26 January, Oliver Coppard was announced as their candidate.[16]

Simon Biltcliffe, an entrepreneur from Barnsley, was announced as the Yorkshire Party candidate on 22 October 2021.[17] [18]

The Green Party selected Bex Whyman as their candidate for mayor on 20 December 2021.[19]

The Conservative Party selected Clive Watkinson as their candidate.[20]

The Liberal Democrats selected Joe Otten, a Sheffield councillor, as their candidate on 29th March.[21]

The Social Democratic Party selected David Bettney as their candidate on the 4 April 2022.[22] He was endorsed by Reform UK.[23]

Notes and References

  1. News: Councils call to scrap South Yorkshire mayoral election . 9 September 2021 . BBC News . 9 January 2018.
  2. News: Labour MP Dan Jarvis elected South Yorkshire mayor . 9 September 2021 . BBC News . 4 May 2018.
  3. News: South Yorkshire hoping for £30m after Dan Jarvis brokers devolution deal . 9 September 2021 . ITV News . 25 March 2019 . en.
  4. News: Torr . George . Dan Jarvis to make a decision on his future as mayor or MP but priority now is on South Yorkshire as he hits back at critics . 9 September 2021 . . . en.
  5. News: Torr . George . South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis calls on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to work more closely with regional leaders in England . 9 September 2021 . . . en.
  6. News: Dan Jarvis: South Yorkshire mayor's salary to go to charity . 9 September 2021 . . 26 January 2021.
  7. News: O'Connor . Rob . Northern mayors proving regional devolution works, says IPPR . 9 September 2021 . . 16 August 2021 . en.
  8. News: Topham . Matthew . Dan Jarvis's bus partnership plans expose his lack of ambition for South Yorkshire . 9 September 2021 . . 7 June 2021 . en.
  9. News: South Yorkshire mayoral election set for 2024 after PCC power switch . BBC News . 8 February 2024 .
  10. Web site: Mayor of Greater Manchester . BBC News . 31 January 2020.
  11. News: Brooke . Sam . Labour's Yorkshire mayors 'could be damaged' by voting changes . 9 September 2021 . . 19 May 2021 . en.
  12. Web site: Rodgers. Sienna. Labour sets timetable for selecting South Yorkshire mayoral candidate. 2021-11-19. LabourList. 10 November 2021 . en-GB.
  13. News: Walker. Peter. 20 September 2021. Labour's Dan Jarvis to step down as mayor of South Yorkshire after first term. en. The Guardian. 24 September 2021.
  14. News: Andrews. Danielle. These are the Labour candidates in the Sheffield City Region mayoral election. en. www.thestar.co.uk. 13 December 2021.
  15. Web site: Rodgers. Sienna. Labour sets timetable for selecting South Yorkshire mayoral candidate. 2021-11-19. LabourList. 10 November 2021 . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Rodgers . Sienna . Labour selects Oliver Coppard as South Yorkshire mayoral candidate . 2022-03-02 . LabourList . 26 January 2022 . en-GB.
  17. News: Francis . Jo . Biltcliffe standing for Mayor in South Yorks . 29 October 2021 . Printweek . en.
  18. News: 2022-01-22. South Yorkshire Mayor: Two parties announce candidates for election. en-GB. BBC News. 2022-01-22.
  19. News: 2022-01-22. South Yorkshire Mayor: Two parties announce candidates for election. en-GB. BBC News. 2022-01-22.
  20. Web site: South Yorkshire mayor: Conservatives select candidate for election. 2022-03-15. BBC News. 10 March 2022 . en-GB.
  21. Web site: 2022-03-29 . Joe Otten selected by Lib Dems for South Yorkshire mayor . 2022-03-29 . Mark Pack . en-GB.
  22. Web site: Clouston . William . 2022-04-04 . David Bettney Announced as SDP Candidate for South Yorkshire Mayor . 2022-04-04 . SDP.
  23. News: South Yorkshire mayoral election 2022: Candidate list . 9 April 2022 . BBC News . 4 April 2022.